Today's farmers face brutal challenges. One season they deal with fierce drought, the next year it's torrential rain. Then there are diseased crops and insect infestations to worry about. One solution that has brought both peace and profit to the modern farmer is year-round gardening with hydroponics.

Natural rainwater, fertile lands and ideal growing conditions are becoming scarce, and hydroponics gardening is seen as a heaven-sent miracle for many farmers. They are no longer at the mercy of Mother Nature. Farmers are able to grow healthy crops all year long and yield full harvests in spite of weather, insects or disease. Of all the benefits of hydroponics gardening, this is the most important.

The earliest documentation of plants growing and surviving, without the benefit of soil as a nutrient source, can be traced to the 1699 records of a fellow named Woodward. It's believed, however, that hydroponics-style gardening was practiced in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

The roots of hydroponics methods in modern agriculture were evident in the 1840s. At that time, researchers discovered that by developing a formula containing all the essential nutrients that plants need for growth, including nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen dioxide, the need for soil could be completely eliminated. A number of German botanists adopted this idea and soon developed the basic nutrient formulas and growing techniques, which are still in use today.

Hydroponics gardening requires as little as 10% of the land used in traditional farming and less than 10% as much water. Farmers may reduce the amount of water even further by re-circulating the water used for hydroponics gardening.

Many popular types of produce are successfully grown using hydroponics gardening. Growers who practice year-round hydroponics gardening enjoy broccoli, cabbage, celery, chard, cucumbers, eggplant, flowers, grapes, lettuce, melons, onions, peppers, pole beans, radishes, tomatoes and strawberries.

Rarely is produce grown hydroponically affected by the insects that typically thrive in soil, or the diseases caused by soil microorganisms. This is one of the main advantages to hydroponics gardening. In turn, farmers are less inclined to use insecticides to prevent pest infestations. As a result, the crops do not carry traces of insecticides. Further, the produce can be picked ripe and enjoyed immediately, eliminating the need for chemical preservatives. That's a huge benefit for people who like their produce pure and clean.

Water conservation is another attractive feature of hydroponics gardening. In dry climates, where precious water must be re-circulated, hydroponics systems can greatly improve harvest yields. It's also possible to grow a large yield of hydroponics produce quickly, in a relatively small area. In fact, it is not unusual to grow four heads of lettuce in the same amount of space that one head of lettuce would require using tradition soil gardening methods.

There are various techniques of year-round gardening with hydroponics:

* Water Culture Hydroponics

With this type of hydroponics gardening, the roots are held in a large waterproof tank. The plants are supported with mesh or string, and the roots dangle freely in a liquid solution. This water contains nutrients, so the roots absorb everything they need for the plants to grow and thrive.

* Gravel Culture Hydroponics Gardening

It's usually more expensive to install and maintain a hydroponics garden using gravel culture. This type of system has a waterproof bench filled with inert pea-sized gravel. The gravel contains nutrients and supports the roots of the plants. Nutrient solution is pumped from a holding tank into the gravel solution, and the plants absorb all of the nutrients they need. When the pump is turned off, the solution drains back into the holding tank.

Both types of hydroponics gardening methods are effective, and you have to remember to replenish the nutrient solution with both methods. You'll also need a good, constant source of proper lighting. Many hydroponics growers use several grow lights that are set with automatic timers to deliver appropriate amounts of light to the plants.

It's easy to find the materials and supplies you need to build and maintain a hydroponics system. Visit your local gardening center and you'll quickly be on your way to year-round gardening with hydroponics.